Auxiliary cutter means for an electric dry shaver

ABSTRACT

AN AUXILIARY CUTTER HEAD ASSEMBLY FOR AN ELECTRIC DRY SHAVER. THE ASSEMBLY INCLUDING CUTTER MEANS MOUNTED ON AN ELONGATED CASING AND WHICH CASING IS ADAPTED TO BE DETACHABLY MOUNTED ON THE SHAVER CASING AS AN EXTENSION THEREOF WITH MEANS PROVIDED IN THE AUXILIARY CASING FOR TRANSMITTING THE DRIVE OF THE SHAVER OPERATING MEANS TO THE AUXILIARY CUTTER MEANS.

AUXILIARY CUTTER MEANS FOR AN ELECTRIC DRY SHAVER Filed Jan. 13, 1969 D. R. LOCKE ETAL Jam 1971 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORSf flax Ml A. 005? BY Jaim Fflarzwlsgi.

Jan. 5, 1971 R LQCKE ETAL 3,552,91Q

AUXILIARY CUTTER MEANS FOR AN ELECTRIC DRY SHAVER 2 SheetE-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 13, 1969.

I INVENTORS flax/Z R, Locke BY Jfl/Zi? 1 flaizwls 3,552,010 AUXILIARY CUTTER MEANS FOR AN ELECTRIC DRY SHAVER David R. Locke and John F. Daniels, Jr., Bridgeport,

Conn., assignors to Sperry Rand Corporation, New

York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 13, 1969, Ser. No. 790,534 Int. Cl. B26b 19/04 U.S. Cl. 3043.92 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An auxiliary cutter head assembly for an electric dry shaver. The assembly including cutter means mounted on an elongated casing and which casing is adapted to be detachably mounted on the shaver casing as an extension thereof with means provided in the auxiliary casing for transmitting the drive of the shaver operating means to the auxiliary cutter means.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to new and useful improvements in electric dry shavers and particularly to shavers used by women.

Electric dry shavers of the latter type are used by Women to remove hair bristles from the legs and underarms by means of suitable cutter means. In most shavers the cutter means comprise at least a stationary outer cutter within which is disposed a cooperating movable inner cutter. Hair reception slots are provided in the outer cutter and through which slots the hair bristles are combed and then sheared by the cutter teeth of the movable inner cutter. It is well known that the thinner the skin contacting portions of the outer cutter are made, the closer to the skin the hair bristles will be removed. Conversely, however, irritating effects often result at sensitive skin areas as the thickness of the contacting portions are reduced. Problems are encountered therefore in providing a Womans shaver wherein the cutter means is suitable for use both on the legs and underarms. If the outer cutter of the cutter means is made 'to thin dimensions for effective use on the less sensitive legs having relatively coarse hair, the same surface if used on the underarms having finer hair and more sensitive skin might cause the aforementioned irritating efiects.

Variousmeans have been used in the past to attempt to counteract these reactions. Some womens shavers for example have been provided with adjustable guard members or the like wherein the guards are moved to various positions relative to the cutter head in accordance with the intended shaving operation. The guards serving to tension and hold the skin a further distance away from the cutter head in accordance with the adjusted position of the guards during underarm shaving then when the legs are shaved in accordance with the desired needs of the user. In other shaving devices different portions of the cutter head are adapted for use on the legs and the underarms. The latter involve care on the users part that the thinner portions used for the legs not be inadvertently used underarms.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a novel electric dry shaver.

Another object is to provide an electric dry shaver having one cutter head for one shaving mode and a novel auxiliary cutter head assembly for accomplishing another mode of shaving.

A further object is to provide a novel auxiliary cutter head assembly for an electric dry shaver which serves as an extension of the shaver and is adapted to accomplish nited States Ratent Patented Jan. 5, 1971 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention contemplates a novel auxiliary cutter head assembly for an electric dry shaver. In one embodiment the auxiliary cutter head assembly comprises an elongated casing having cutter means mounted on one end with means on the other end for mounting the auxiliary casing on the shaver operating means. Motion transmitting means are provided within the auxiliary casing adapted to operatively connect the cutter means thereof to the operating means of the shaver.

The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear more fully hereinafter from a consideration of the detailed description which follows taken together with the accompanying drawings wherein one embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the upper portion of a known type electric dry shaver having a multiple cutter head unit assembly mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the shaver of FIG. 1 with the multiple cutter head unit assembly removed and with the novel auxiliary cutter head assembly incorporating the present invention mounted thereon;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary partly cross sectional enlarged elevation view of the shaver and auxiliary cutter head assembly on line 33 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the shaver and auxiliary cutter head assembly;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the motion transmitting member; and

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the cutter means receptacle of the auxiliary cutter head assembly with the cutter means removed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawing for a more detailed description of the present invention and more particularly to FIG. 1, the upper portion of an electric dry shaver, is generally indicated by the reference numeral 10. Electric dry shaver 10 is of a well-known type and includes a. casing having a cutter head receptacle 11 (FIGS. 1 and 5) in the upper portion thereof in which is disposed a cutter head assembly 12 partially shown in FIG. 1. Cutter head assembly 12 includes a pair of cutter head units 14 and 15 disposed in side by side relation and both of which cutter head units 14-15 are of the general type shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,793,430 to L. C. Carissimi, dated May 28, 1957. Each cutter head unit 14-15 comprises a stationary outer cutter 17 (FIG. 1) within which is disposed an inner cutter (one partially shown and indicated at 18 in FIG. 1). Cutter head assembly 12 is held within cutter head receptacle 11 by a pair of spaced manually operable latch members 20 (FIGS. 3 and 5) of the type disclosed in our copending application Ser. No. 736,126, filed June 11, 1968 and assigned to the same assignee as the present application and which latches 20 are readily displacable for releasing the cutter head assembly 12 from receptacle 11. Each inner cutter of cutter head assembly 12 is adapted to be driven b an oscillator arm 22 and 23 (FIGS. 3' 4 and 5) which extend into cutter head receptacle 11 from a motor compartment 24 in shaver 10. A motor partially shown and diagrammatically indicated motor at 25 in FIG. 3 of a conventional vibratory type is provided in compartment 24 for imparting oscillatory motion to drive arms 22 and 23.

The structure thus far described represents structure as found in one known type womans electric dry shaver. In use the multiple cutter head units 14-15 of cutter head assembly 12 are effective to removal of hair from legs as a result of the large cutting surface are represented by the skin contacting surface of the outer cutters 17. Conversely in use of this type cutting surface on the underarms the disadvantages previously mentioned are apt to be encountered.

As mentioned it is a feature of this invention to pro vide novel auxiliary cutter head means for substitution in place of cutter head assembly 12 as desired for use in the removal of hair from the underarm areas. To this end an auxiliary cutter head assembly is provided in an auxiliary casing indicated by reference numeral 28 in FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5. Auxiliary cutter head casing 28 includes a pair of oppositely formed casing sections 29 and 30 respectively (FIGS. 4 and 5) and each of which sections are formed oppositely of the other of molded plastic and are constructed so that the free edges of one is adapted to engage the edges of the other section to provide a complete casing.

A cutter means receptacle 31 comprising a recessed portion in the upper portion of casing 28 is provided for receiving a single cutter head unit indicated by the reference numeral 32.

Cutter head unit 32 includes an inverted elongated U- shaped outer cutter 33 having opposite side wall portions secured to the arms of a U-shaped base spacer 34. An inner cutter 35 of the general type shown described in the aforementioned US. patent to L. C. Carissimi is disposed within outer cutter 33 and is urged into cutting cooperation with outer cutter 33 by a leaf spring 36 (FIG. 3) which has its arms connected to the ends of inner cutter 35. The opposite longitudinal edges (FIG. 4) of outer cutter 33 are spaced in a known manner from the adjacent edges of inner cutter 35 as indicated at 37 in FIG. 4 to provide a comb edge for leading hair into the hair reception slots 38 of outer cutter 33 by spacing the skin from the inner cutter 35 in a manner suitable for removal of fine hair from the underarm areas.

A bottom wall 40 of cutter head receptacle 31 (FIGS. 3 and 4) is provided by the engagement of sections 29 and 30. A plate member 41 having a depending clamp finger 42 at each corner thereof is disposed on bottom wall 40 with clamp fingers 42 inserted in apertures 43 provided in wall 40 and which clamping fingers 42 hold casing sections 29 and 30 in assembled condition.

Latch means for holding cutter unit 32 in receptacle 31 (FIG. 3) are provided at opposite ends of receptacle 31 and include latch members 44 pivotally mounted on bosses 45. One end of latch member 44 is provided with a hook portion 46 in engagement with the adjacent bight portion of base spacer 34 of cutter head 32. Resilient fingers 47 of plate 41 extend outwardly from plate 41 and engage portions 48 of latches 44 to maintain the latches in latching engagement with the cutter head. A manually manipulable portion 49 of each latch 44 projects outwardly of casing 28 through slot 50.

Means for transmitting motion to inner cutter 35 are included in casing 28 and are indicated by the reference numeral 52 (FIGS. 3 and 6). The latter means comprise a molded plastic member having a central hollow shaft portion 53 mounted for pivotal movement on a pin 54 which has its ends journalled in wall 40 of casing 28. A drive arm 55 extends from shaft 53 and engages the drive portion '56 of spring 36. Further a drive leaf Spring 58 is secured by suitable means such as rivets 59 to the bottom 4 of the plastic member and is provided with a bowed central portion 60.

Auxiliary cutter head assembly 32 is mounted on shaver casing 10 after the previously described cutter head assembly 12 has been removed from receptacle 11 by inserting casing 28 into cutter head receptacle 11 (FIG. 5). The opposite lower longitudinally extending edges 61-62 of casing 28 are formed to mate with and rest on the edges of casing 10. The opposite lower end portions of auxiliary casing 28 (FIGS. 3 and 5) are provided with recessed ledge portions 63 disposed within receptacle 11. Latch members 20 in shaver 10 are adapted to engage ledges 63 and maintain auxiliary casing 28 securely to casing 10. In latched engagement of auxiliary casing 28 to casing 10 bowed portion 60 of spring 58 of motion transmitting means 52 engages the tip of oscillator arm 23 of motor 25. In operation of motor 25 motion transmitting spring 58 is thereby oscillated by arm 23 to cause drive arm to oscillate in the direction of arrows A and B (FIG. 3) to convert the oscillatory motion thereof to reciprocatory motion in the inner cutter 35 in cutter means 32.

If desired the position of auxiliary casing 28 can be rotated 180 from the position shown in FIG. 3 and bow in spring 58 will engage oscillator arm 22 to operate cutter means in the same manner as above described. Further if it is desired to release auxiliary casing 28 from shaver casing 10, latching members 20 are depressed to release the hook portions thereof from ledges 63 whereby casing 28 can be removed from cutter receptacle 11. If it is desired to release cutter means 32 from casing 28, the latter is released by depressing portions 49 of latch members 44 to release hooks 46 from the ends of the base spacer 34. Cutter means 32 may be reinserted in receptacle 31 by inserting the same into the cutter receptacle 31 and camming the cutter into latched engagement with latch members 44 as described.

It is apparent from the foregoing that the novel auxiliary cutter head assembly has many advantages in use. One advantage is that the elongated casing 28 provides readily manipulable means for traversing the underarm areas to provide a comfortable and efiicient hair removal operation. The separate cutters for different modes of shaving resulting in optimum performance of each without lessening of efficiency.

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described in detail it is to be specifically understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Various changes can be made in the design and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as the same will now be understood by those skilled in the art.

What we claim is:

1. An auxiliary cutter head assembly for an electric dry shaver of the type having a casing, motor and motor driven operating means, said auxiliary cutter head assembly comprising:

(a) an elongated second casing having one end adapted to be mounted on said shaver casing with the greater portion thereof projecting beyond said shaver casing,

(b) cutter means on the other end of said second casing and including a movable cutter and a stationary cutter, and

(0) motion transmitting means in said second casing adapted for connection to the motor driven operating means to transmit motion to said movable cutter.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said motion transmitting means comprises a driven member, means mounting said driven member for movement within said second casing, and means adapted to connect said driven member to the motor driven operating means in said shaver casing.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said driven member includes a drive arm, means pivotally mounting said drive arm on said second casing and wherein the connecting means comprise spring means connected to said driven member.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said driven member further includes a shaft member pivotally mounted on said second casing with said drive arm extending from said shaft into engagement with said movable cutter, said spring means connecting the driven member to said shaver operating means comprising a leaf spring having one end connected to said shaft, a free end and a bowed mid-portion adapted for connection to the shaver operating means when the second casing is mounted on said shaver.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein said second casing includes a pair of complementary mating sections, a cutter head receptacle on one end of said mated sections for said cutter means and a compartment at the opposite end for said conncting means.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein means are provided in said second casing for detachably mounting said cutter means in said receptacle on said motion transmitting means.

7. The device of claim 5 wherein the motion transmitting means include a shaft, means mounting said shaft for pivotal movement, a drive arm extending from said shaft into said receptacle, means connecting said drive arm to said movable cutter, and said connecting means comprising spring means connected to said shaft and disposed in said compartment.

8. The device of claim 6 wherein the lower outer edge portions of the walls forming said compartment are of complimentary configuration to the engaged portions of said shaver casing whereby said second casing forms an extension thereof in mounted position.

9. The combination of claim 1 wherein said motor driven operating means includes a pair of oscillator arms and wherein said motion transmitting means in said second casing is adapted for connection to either of said arms for transmitting motion to said movable cutter.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein said second casing includes means for latching said second casing to cutter head attachment means provided in said shaver casing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,191,300 6/1965 Locke 43.92 3,400,457 9/ 1968 Spohr 3043.92

ANDREW R. JUHASZ, Primary Examiner G. F. GRAFEL, Assistant Examiner 

